The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-18

Spectators on Earth and in Air.
81 belonged to the engineer corps
that surveyed the route for the North
.ern Pacific railroad" said Amos r N.
Smith, now of jersey City, land one
day, while seeking little recreation. l
was a witness of scene in wild West
ern life which have no doubt there are
plenty of people would travel far to see
if it could only be reproduced. but
which wouldn't be spectator Of
again for good many round gold
dollars.
81 left our camp at Young Mems
Buttes one day in July to try my luck
at trout fishing in the head waters of
Big Heart river, small stream five
miles from camp. The weather had
been hot and dry for some time, and
when l got over to the river l found The
head waters were not much better than
dry land, all the moisture could find
being little puddles here and there in
the bed. The only water likely to be
found in that quarter with fish in it
was the Big Cannon Ball river, and
that was twenty miles away, so l
concluded that the best thing for me
to do would be to march right back
to camp. There was heavy
thicket along the north bank of the
stream, some distance above where l
came out on the dry bed, and few
cottonwood trees standing may be a
hundred yards back from the bank. As
i turned to retrace my steps l saw a
small herd of wild cattle standing off
to my right. Among them was a young
bull, and n more splendid specimen of
an animal l neveN, saw. He and the
rest of the cattle were eying me with
suspicious curiosity. l didn't like the
appearance of the bull, for he had
way of lowering his head throwing
dirt with his fore feet. and uttering an
ominous sort of below that seemed
threatening. / turEed and walked
away, moving toward the cottonwood
trees. Hooked back over my shoulder
and saw the bull coming along after
me. increased my speed, and so did
lie, until l was running my fastest and
the bull was doing his best behind me.
can't say exactly how it was done,
but it wasn't many seconds before l
found myself in one of those cotton
wood trees. out of reach of the bull,
who was Immediately under the tree,
paving dirt and acting very mad. l
shall always believe that l was hoisted
into that tree by the bull, although 1
had no evidence to show for it.
'"The bull paved and grumbled in
under the tree for few minutes, and
then turned and walked toward the
thicket, Oh the creek side of which
there was a water hole. The other cat
tie went quietly to grazing where l had
first seen them.
81 suppose the bull started toward the
thicket to get drink atthe water hole,
but he never got the drink. saw him
push his way into the thicket, and the
next instant could see that he had got
into trouble of some kind, and that
trouble proved TO be grizzly bear. A
fierce struggle followed in the thicket
The tops of the bushes swayed to and
fro, and could hear the heavy crash of
driftwood as the two powerful animals
writhed in fierce embrace. A cloud of
dust rolled up from the spot. ItwaS not
distant over one hundred yards from
h st,x soh II haA fol
Scarcely two minutes elapsed before
the bull broke through the bushes. His
head was covered with blood, and great
flakes of flesh hung from his fore shout
ders. But instead of showing any
signs of defeat he seemed literally to
glow with defiant rage. Instinct had
simply prompted him in his retreat to
seek an open space. He was 1.-the and
wiry, yet wonderfully massive about
the shoulders, combining the rareSt
qualities of strength and symmetry.
For moment he stood glaring at the
bushes he had retreated from. his nos
trils distended, and his whole form
fixed and rigid. But scarcely had l
time to note all this when the bear, a
huge, repulsive-looking brute, broke
through the opening. He was the most
formidable specimen of his kind 1 had
ever seen, and my sympathies were at
once with the bull, in spite of bis bel
ligerent attitude toward me few min
utes before, but had my serious doubts
about the final result of the combat
that began at once.
'sThat combat was a trial of brute
force that no words of mine are ade-
quate to describe. When tho bear
made his appearance out of the thicket
the bull did not wait for his contest
ants charge, but lowering his great
head to the ground, he rushed madly
upon the bear. The latter seemed to
appreciate the abilities of the bull. and
summoned all the wariness of his ma
furc TO his aid. He waited until the
bull was almost upon him. and then